1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for mounting safety shields onto eyeglass temples and a kit for carrying out that method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional safety spectacles include side safety shields which are removably affixed. However, the case often arises where the employers do not want the employees removing the safety shields.
In the situations where the employer prefers that the shields be permanently affixed, the primary methods of attachment have been rivets, screws, lock-nuts or adhesives. In the prior art systems, the use of screws have required that holes be drilled in the temples of the glasses which has various drawbacks. Cutting a hole through the temple weakens the temples and often the temples break during drilling.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,505,679 discloses a pair of safety spectacles having removable side shields. Flanges of the side shield are snapped over the temple of the glasses. This is disadvantageous, as repeated placement and removal of the shields weakens the shield""s flanges, and eventually the flanges will snap and the entire side shield must be replaced. Moreover, an employee can easily remove the shields, even if the employer requires the shields to be worn.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,490 discloses side shields which are permanently fastened to a pair of eyeglasses without the use of screws or adhesives. However, the attachment means are formed integrally with the side shields. Thus, not only is removal difficult, but once the shields are removed, they are not designed to be used again.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,165,754 teaches separate means for removably attaching the shields to temples of a pair of glasses. The attachment means comprise a support member having hooks for engaging a lens frame and a pair of sidewardly extending support arms which contact the top and bottom surfaces of the hinge between the temples and lens frame. The attachment means must be connected to the eyeglass frame and temples by a screw. Thus, simple installation is not possible.
The present invention makes it possible to secure side shields to the temples of a pair of glasses in such a manner that the shields cannot easily be removed and without the need to drill holes in the temple. In one preferred embodiment, the side shields are attached to the temples by a screw which fits into a bore formed in a member attached to the temple. With this embodiment, the side shields are xe2x80x9cpermanentlyxe2x80x9d fastened to the temple in the sense that the screw must be removed in order to remove the side shields.
The method according to one embodiment of the present invention utilizes a temple of an eyeglass frame which has a member attached thereto, the member having a threaded bore formed therein. In accordance with the method, the side shield is attached to the temple by:
(a) placing the temple in a channel formed in part of the side shield; and thereafter
(b) attaching the temple to the channel with a screw which is inserted into the threaded bore.
In the preferred embodiment, the side shield is initially placed in its operative position before the screw in inserted into the opening to fasten the side shield in the operative position.
The kid according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises:
(a) a side shield having a longitudinally extending channel into which a longitudinally extending eyeglass temple may be inserted, said channel having an open lateral end through which said temple may be inserted and a supporting lateral wall against which said temple may be supported and an opening through which a screw may be passed to extend into said channel; and
(b) a member affixed to the temple and having a threaded bore formed therein for receiving a screw passed through said channel.
In this preferred embodiment, the side shield is initially placed in its operative position before the screw is inserted into a fastener that is placed into the transverse open end of the channel in the side shield to prevent the temple from freely moving within the channel of the side shield in the operative position.
The method according to a second embodiment of the invention utilizes a side shield having an elongated channel with a side wall, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) placing said temple in said channel adjacent said side wall; and thereafter
(b) securing said temple against said side wall using a lock washer arrangement.
The kit according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises:
(a) a side shield having a longitudinally extending channel into which a longitudinally extending eyeglass temple may be inserted, said channel having an open lateral end through which said temple may be inserted and a supporting lateral wall against which said temple may be supported and an opening through which a screw may be passed to extend into said channel; and
(b) a lock washer capable of being placed into said channel with opposite ends of said lock washer extending through respective openings formed in said top and bottom walls, said lock washer having a threaded bore formed therein; and
(c) a screw adapted to be screwed into said threaded bore of said lock washer so that, when a temple is located in said channel, and said lock washer is inserted into said openings formed in said top and bottom walls, an end of said screw will press said temple against said lateral side wall.